One song is chosen and used every morning at departure time. When it plays, the household knows: five minutes to the door. The song announces the departure so the parent does not have to repeat the instruction. After one to two weeks of consistent use, the first note produces automatic preparation without a word being said.

What you need

Phone or speaker for music

How to do it

1Choose one song together. It belongs to departure time and nothing else.
2Every morning at the five-minute mark: play it. No other announcement.
3When the song ends, everyone is at or near the door.
4Keep the same song for at least two weeks. The cue only works with repetition.

Variations

They say "That's a dumb song" or refuse to choose: you pick one you love and play it every morning at five minutes to departure anyway. They'll either choose something better or grudgingly accept the parental choice.
The song ends and they're not at the door yet: play it again. No comment. Just restart from the top. The song is the message, not you yelling over it.

💡 Parent tip

Let the child pick the song — within reason. The ownership makes the cue feel chosen rather than imposed. A song they love that also signals departure is more powerful than a perfect departure song they didn't choose.

What your child develops

Environmental cueing — a consistent auditory signal builds an automatic behavioural response more reliably than verbal instruction
Transition predictability — knowing that the song = departure removes the uncertainty that produces resistance
Autonomy within structure — the song is neutral authority; no one is nagging, the music is just playing